Minimum Wage Increase Vote Imminent in Senate

The Senate is expected to move forward with a vote to raise the Federal minimum wage. Sen. Tom Harkin's (D-IA) legislation titled the Minimum Wage Fairness Act, S. 1737, would increase the Federal minimum wage for employees to $10.10 an hour and tie future minimum wage increases to inflation. The legislation also calls for a significant increase in the cash wage for tipped employees.

NATSO is joining nearly 20 other trade associations representing a broad cross section of the U.S. economy to oppose the legislation.

The Congressional Budget Office in February reported that increasing the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour could force businesses to trim nearly half a million jobs. Higher labor costs without any anticipated increase in revenue or profits put significant pressure on businesses that operate under slim margins. These additional costs are magnified as business owners deal with the implementation of the new healthcare law.

Please voice your opinion on the issue to your Senator here. While the Democratic Senate pursues an increase in the Federal minimum wage, the Republican House of Representatives is not expected to take up the issue.

Tiffany Wlazlowski Neuman

Tiffany Wlazlowski Neuman develops and executes communications strategies to advance NATSO’s public relations and advocacy goals. Tiffany also develops and oversees partnerships related to the NATSO Foundation’s public outreach initiatives. Tiffany lives in the D.C. metro area with her husband and their two sons.More